BYZANTINE will tentatively enter the studio December 8 to record the follow-up to 2005's '...And They Shall Take Up Serpents' before taking a break from the recording process to support God Forbid for two weeks on a tour package also boasting Goatwhore, Mnemic and Arsis. Upon completion of the tour, BYZANTINE will return to the studio to finish recording. Production this time around will again be handled by Aaron Fisher and BYZANTINE for the yet-untitled full-length, due for a 2007 release through Prosthetic Records.

"We have so far 11 songs in the bag and most likely will have 15 penned by the time pre-production starts," vocalist/guitarist OJ Ojeda previously stated. "Normally we write 10 and use 10, but riffs are flowing like mad and all four of us are writing material this time, which has been very interesting. All I can say is if this album doesn't kick our first two albums' asses, something is wrong! Some songs are pure thrash, some songs are off time as hell and some songs are depressing and dark. This album WILL be our finest effort."

In other news, Byzantine will appear on the upcoming EyeHateGod tribute record, 'For The Sick: A Tribute to Eyehategod,' performing the track "Shoplift." The record is currently slated for a Feb. 20 release through Season Mist America.

Southern black metal/sludge masters GOATWHORE will be heading over to the MTV studios in New York City on Wednesday November 29th to tape their segment which will air on Saturday, December 2nd. The band’s video for 'Alchemy Of The Black Sun Cult' will air this Saturday, November 11th.

As previously reported, Goatwhore are confirmed for the Seattle Metal Festival which will be held on January 20th, 2007, at The Showbox in Seattle, Washington. More...

Returning after a three-year hiatus, the Seattle Metal Festival will be on Jan 20, 2007, at The Showbox in Seattle, Washington.

This year’s lineup – a mixture of metal veterans from the US and abroad, as well as up and coming national acts - will be: Overkill, God Forbid, Destruction, Into Eternity, Ghoatwhore, The Human Abstract, Mnemic, and Arsis.

The festival is promoted by Frank Hetzel of Howitzer Productions and the main sponsor is Dragon Monkey Media. Hetzel is the creator of the Seattle Metal Festival and the Northwest Deathfest, as well as the promoter of many metal shows in the Seattle area.

“I put the Seattle Metal Fest on the back burner for a while because I felt that it should become a stronger festival- a show with great national metal acts that people would travel from all over the Pacific Northwest to see,” said Hetzel. “It took some time to work out the logistics for a festival of this size and with the help of Dragon Monkey Media; the show is coming together smoothly.”

Dragon Monkey Media LLC is a Northwest-based media company promoting local musicians and artists by providing an internet resource to allow them to showcase their artistic works through its associated record label, Hot Monkey Records, and its affiliated production company, Dark Angel Productions.

Tickets go on sale Saturday, November 11 through Tickets West (www.ticketswest.com) and The Showbox box office, as well as seattlemetalfest.com, Silver Platters in Seattle, and Scrape Records in Vancouver, B.C. The Showbox is located at 1426 1st Ave. in Seattle, WA (www.showboxonline.com, 206-628-3151). Tickets will be $25.00 advance and $30.00 day of show. This is an all ages event with alcohol available for purchase to those at least 21 years old with ID.

All Shall Perish just finished up almost two months of touring in support of their second effort for Nuclear Blast, The Price Of Existence, and next will embark on another run of dates starting in late October with Arsis and The Faceless the will last through November. Never ones to be shy of a heavy touring schedule, All Shall Perish are enjoying some much deserved time off at home after their long road stint with Suicide Silence and Light This City which hit the entire country.

"The last tour was brutal, and amazing at the same time. We played to a lot of insane crowds and sold lots of merchandise, not to mention visiting a lot of new cities we've never played in," states bassist Michael Tiner. "The new record is doing well and we can't wait to get out on the road again. Our video for the song 'Eradication' debuted on 'Headbangers' Ball' last week too, so it's a cool time."

Look for All Shall Perish to stay busy in December and early 2007 as well. The Price Of Existence has moved 8,000 copies already since it's release since August 8th. The E-Card for the album can be found here.

Celebration Of Guilt," and 2005s epic "A Diamond For Disease," ARSIS have returned with their brand new full length, "United In Regret" (formerly titled "Lust Before The Maggots Conquest"). With "United In Regret," ARSIS have once again raised the bar and breathe new life into the overpopulated and poser-infested world known as Melodic Death Metal. Recorded at Max Tax Studios (SKINLESS, STIGMATA) in Albany, NY and Hairy Breakfast Productions (MISERY INDEX) in Atlanta, GA, "United In Regret" will feature the best production job on an ARSIS record yet. The nine tracks contained on "United In Regret" showcase ARSIS strongest and most well-written material to date. "United In Regret" will be released October 24, 2006. The album is being produced by Eyal Levi (DAATH) and artwork will be handled once again by Mark Riddick (www.riddickbros.com).

Arsis continues to make progress on their next album for Willowtip Records. The band has titled the effort "Lust Before the Maggots Conquest." Thus far, drum and rhythm guitar tracking has been completed, with additional tracking and mixing expected to be completed in July. A sample track should be online late this summer while the album is expected to hit streets in early-fall.

The Canadian portion of Necrophagist's current tour has been cancelled. The band's passports were recently stolen, rendering them unable to cross the border. The following shows, with support from Arsis, Alarum, Ion Dissonance, Animosity, and Job For A Cowboy have been cancelled:

Show Of The Summer will take place on June 10th in Virginia, and June 11th in New Jersey. Here are the details:

June 10 - Fredericksburg, VA @ KC's

Dillinger Escape PlanHaste the DayChiodosSworn EnemyThe Number Twelve Looks Like YouFull Blown ChaosFrom a Second Story WindowCattle DecapitationMisery IndexBlack My HeartDespised IconSuicide SilenceThe ShowdownFlee the SeenCarolSuprise Special Guests+ local talent on second stage

The full lineup for the 8th Annual New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, which is sponsored this year by ESP Guitars and Krank Amps, has been confirmed.

The three-day festival at The Palladium in Worcester, MA, will feature headliners Lacuna Coil, Black Dahlia Murder, and Between the Buried and Me on Friday, April 28. Arch Enemy, Chimaira, and Exodus will headline Saturday, April 29. Headliners for Sunday, April 30 are Gamma Ray and DragonForce.

UK-based DragonForce will be making its first-ever American appearance at the festival. Italy's Lacuna Coil and Sweden's Arch Enemy will be making return appearances at the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, after stellar performances at the 2003 and 2002 editions of the festival.

"It's fantastic to be a part of what is quite possibly the best U.S. metal fest around!" said Arch Enemy guitarist Mike Amott. "This is our third time playing the New England Metal and Hardcore fest and it's always a pleasure. It's held in a great venue with great fans."

"It is an honor for us to be one of this year's headliners at the New England Metal and Hardcore festival," said vocalist Andrea Ferro. "We are more than ready for it. We can't wait."

Bands confirmed for Friday (listed alphabetically) are: A Life Once Lost, A Perfect Murder, Alarum, Arsis, Between The Buried And Me, Black Dahlia Murder, Cephalic Carnage, Dead To Fall, Demiricous, Ed Gein, From A Second Story Window, Haste The Day, If Hope Dies, Lacuna Coil, Ligeia, Necrophagist, Neuraxis, Nodes Of Ranvier, Ringworm, Scarlet, Still Remains, Suicide Silence, The Absence, Thine Eyes Bleed and Through The Eyes Of The Dead.

Friday tickets are $35.00; Saturday and Sunday individual day tickets are $40.00. Three-day passes are $109.50. Tickets are available now at all Strawberries Record Stores, online at tickets.com, or by calling tickets.com at (800) 477-6849. There is re-entry at this all-day event until 6 p.m. each day.

The Palladium is located at 261 Main Street in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Arsis have completed writing for their new album. Arsis drummer Michael Van Dyne has posted the following update regarding the band's upcoming new album, the highly anticipated follow up to last year's "Celebration Of Guilt":

"Ok it's taken us a little bit longer than originally planned, but the writing for the next album is now 100% complete. I really think these are some of the best songs we've ever done by far, so it's better off that it's taken us a little extra time. I'm recording all the drum tracks at the end of the month (the 27-29th of March 2006) at Max Trax Studios in upstate New York, the same studio I recorded the drums at for the "Diamond For Disease" (US only) Mini CD. Jim [Malone] will probably be recording all the other tracks shortly after we get done with the Necrophagist tour. The album will be 9 songs - 8 brand new originals and a surprise cover."

MassConcerts has announced that the New England Metal & Hardcore Festival will return once again to the Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Friday April 28, Saturday April 29 and Sunday April 30. Friday tickets are $35.00; Saturday and Sunday individual day tickets are $40.00. Three-day passes are $109.50. Tickets go on sale this Friday, February 24 at 10:00am at all Strawberries Record Stores, online at tickets.com, or by calling tickets.com at (800) 477-6849.

Proclaimed in past years as one of the best American festivals focusing on heavy music, the three-day show will host numerous metal, hardcore, and metalcore bands along with a jam-packed vendor area where fans can purchase hard-to-find CDs, t-shirts, and other music merchandise. ESP Guitars will be giving away guitars and Krank Amps will be giving away amps and even a half stack. These two great companies will also be bringing you up close and personal with some of the bands they endorse - so as we get closer to fest we will have schedule of artist signings and other surprises.

The show will once again take place on two stages at The Palladium. Bands that have already been confirmed for the festival are: Lacuna Coil, Gamma Ray, DragonForce (first time EVER in America!), Arch Enemy, Chimaira, The Black Dahlia Murder, Bullet For My Valentine, Exodus, Cryptopsy, 100 Demons, A Perfect Murder, Alarum, Arsis, Bloodlined Calligraphy, Bronx Casket Company, Byzantine, Caliban, Cattle Decapitation, Colin Of Arabia, Damnation AD, Dead To Fall, Death Threat, Demiricous, Dying Eyes Bleed, Ed Gein, Embrace The End, Folly, Full Blown Chaos, Goat Horn, God Forbid, Hate Eternal, Horse The Band, Hypersolid, If Hope Dies, Immolation, Inked In Blood, Into Eternity, Ion Dissonance, Ligeia, Losa, Mercury Switch, Necrophagist, Neuraxis, Nodes Of Ranvier, On Broken Wings, Protest The Hero, Ramallah, Righteous Jams, Ringworm, Sanctity, Scars Of Tomorrow, From A Second Story Window, Shoot To Kill, Since The Flood, Skinless, Still Remains, Suffocation, Sworn Enemy, The Acacia Strain, The Absence, The Classic Struggle, The Miles Between, Torn Assunder, Trouble, Twelve Tribes, I Killed The Prom Queen, Wolf, xDEATHSTARx, and xLOOKINGFORWARDx. More bands will be announced in the coming weeks. Talent is subject to change.

"We’ve been extremely happy with how this festival has grown over the years," said MassConcerts Booking Agent and festival co-founder Scott Lee, "and this year the lineup is one of the most varied yet - a great mixture of different styles of bands."

The 8th Annual New England Metal and Hardcore Festival is brought to you by ESP Guitars and Krank Amps, teaming up to present the festival this year; Prosthetic Records, which is sponsoring the 2nd Stage upstairs, Revolver Magazine our exclusive magazine partner and creator of the official event program, Facedown Records which is sponsoring our street marketing efforts, FUSE TV, Mazur PR and The Syndicate. Vendors this year include Century Media, Trustkill, Eulogy/Hand of Hope, Metal Blade, Red Rocket Records, and many others.